


Inheritance

by veridian



Category: Granblue Fantasy (Video Game)
Genre: Implied Relationships, M/M, i guess, spoilers for paradise lost, the point is sandalphon is very gay and very sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-01
Updated: 2018-03-01
Packaged: 2019-03-25 17:26:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13839525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/veridian/pseuds/veridian
Summary: It's not like Lyria was doing anything with the feather, anyway. SPOILERS FOR PARADISE LOST.





	Inheritance

**Author's Note:**

> hey hey hey give me that sandalphon accidentally ends up being a big brother to lyria and orchid content
> 
> because if you don't i write bad shit like this in my own awful attempts to do it

"Sandalphon," Lyria calls across the deck, hesitation evident in her voice. "Are you up here?"

After a moment or two of silence, the archangel in question emerges from behind a secured stack of crates, his ever-present bitter expression still firmly fixed to his face. "Your captain isn't with you?" he asks, giving a cursory glance around.

"Um, no. I wanted to talk to you, but I thought maybe it would be easier for you if I was by myself." She pauses, fiddling with something she's holding in her hand. "You see...around the first time we met, I found something. I didn't know what it was, but..."

"Out with it," Sandalphon interrupts, his eyes narrowing. "The more time spent idly prattling with skydwellers is less time I have to focus on renewing the supreme primarch's powers."

Lyria holds out the item in her hand - a dazzling, pure white plume. "The captain and I, we had a strange dream...we couldn't remember what it was about, but this was there when we woke up." She pauses, gathers her words. "It belongs to Lucifer, doesn't it? This is...it's the same as your wings."

Sandalphon doesn't reply at first, his gaze fixed on the feather. He reaches for it with trembling fingers, hesitating to touch it. If it's from a year ago, then it definitely belongs to Lucifer - it isn't defiled like the rest of his feathers, attached as they are to the unworthy back of a throwaway spare. "It's his," he manages after what feels like an eternity. He lowers his hand before his fingertips can so much as graze it.

"You can have it," Lyria says, her voice soft and soothing, and Sandalphon grits his teeth because it isn't that simple. He has all of Lucifer's feathers, more than he ever wanted, and one more won't change anything. It won't bring him back.

He crosses his arms, the smirk on his face settling unnaturally quickly. "You think me so sentimental, girl in blue?"

Lyria seems surprised by the question. "Well...yes. If you weren't, then you wouldn't be here right now, would you?"

Sandalphon reacts like the wind's been knocked out of him, sucking in a breath as his eyes go wide. "You're speaking nonsense."

"It's because you love Lucifer that you're trying so hard, even though you don't want any of this...isn't it?" Lyria's voice, slightly uncertain earlier, has strengthened into a confident tone. "I know because I'm the same. I love the captain. So I want to hold onto anything and everything that connects us." She holds the feather out to Sandalphon. "I know it's not a good substitute, but...if it belongs to Lucifer, then I think he would want you to have it. He loves you, Sandalphon."

"Is that what he told you? You can't believe everything he says - "

"It's what I _feel._ " Lyria takes a small step forward. "He didn't need to tell me, because I saw the way he looked at you before he put you to sleep." By now, she's close enough to take Sandalphon's hand; he pulls away from her.

It's everything he's ever wanted to hear, but it's meaningless like this.

"Even if you're right," he begins, desperation seeping into his voice - if only she were right - "I could never possibly...it's all that's left of him that isn't...I can't ruin that, too."

Lyria is quiet while Sandalphon breathes heavily, staring at nothing as he struggles to calm himself. Lucifer has always been _greater._ Yes, Sandalphon had been created to serve as a substitute, but that doesn't make him suitable.

It doesn't make him worthy.

While he's distracted, Lyria steps forward again, takes his hand. He lets out a strangled noise of protest the instant before she presses Lucifer's plume into the palm of the new primarch's hand, curling his fingers around it, placing her own over them.

"It's okay, Sandalphon," she says, tightening her grip on his hand. "I don't really know how to say it...but I feel like, out of everyone in the sky, you're the only person who never could ruin it."

He wills his hand to relinquish the feather, but now that he has it, the fear of what might happen if he lets it go is all-consuming. Such nonsense. The wind or Lyria would take it, and that would be that. Nothing earth-shattering. It would simply mean he no longer held it.

But somehow, that in itself is unthinkable.

A painful heat wells up in the corners of his eyes. Sandalphon will not allow himself to cry, let alone in front of Lyria, so he swallows hard, screws his eyes shut, and abruptly turns away from her, yanking his arm from her grasp, exasperation emanating from every part of him.

"If you're so concerned with sullying it, then I'll look after it for you," he manages, his tone mechanically even.

"Please do!" Lyria responds, smiling brighter than the sun. "I know someday you'll be able to see him again."

When Sandalphon doesn't so much as acknowledge her, Lyria figures he needs some time alone. She takes a step or two backwards, watches as he opens his eyes to look at the feather, then turns her back to leave.

"Wait." Sandalphon doesn't so much as glance at her when she looks over her shoulder at him; he doesn't even move, save the slight trembling of his hand. "I...no. Never mind."

Lyria smiles once more. "You're welcome."


End file.
